Water-cooler



{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. S. POYE. WATER COOLER.

No. 407,190. Patented July 16, 1889.

A 11, Ill-- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.. M. S. FOYE.

WATER COOLER.

(No Model.)

No. 407,190. Patented July 16, 1889..

WITNESSES! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MERRITT S. FOYE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATER-COOLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 407,190, dated July 16, 1889.

Application filed December 8, 1887. Serial No. 257,315. (No model.)

To all whom it may c0nccrn:

Be it known that I, MERRITT FOYE, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in \Vater-Coolers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to means for cooling and keeping drinking-water, and the nature thereof is fully described and specifically claimed hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved water-cooler complete, represented with the cover lifted and turned back. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section 011 line a; 50, Fig. 1. Fig. 2 isa detail soctional view of the air-exhaust faucet. Figs. 3 and 4. are views of certain details of 0011- struction to be referred to hereinafter. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frame which surrounds and partially composes the waterholding tank.

The tank for holdingthe water is composed of glass, which is formed in sheets of suitable thickness to give desired strength, with their edges ground or otherwise smoothly finished and arranged together so as to form the rectangular tank inclosed by the supportingframe shown in Fig. 5 0f the drawings. This frame is fitted closely to the edges of the glass, and the whole is cemented together in and about their contiguous parts. It is specially desirable to have the frame so con structed as to permit one or more of its sides being removed without disturbing the other parts, to the end that the glass in one side of the tank may be removed and another inserted without taking the whole frame and tank to pieces. This facility of removal and substitution of any single portion of the tank is a means of great convenience and economy in cases of breakage and repairs thereof.

The tank-frame represented in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings is composed of the bottom strips a a a a, the top strips I) I) b b, the standing cornerstrips c f e f e f e f, and the caps and bolts h i, as represented. The

top strips 7) Z) I) b are dox'ctailed together at their ends, as shown in Fig. 5, and the bottom strips a a a a are dovetailed in like manner. The standing strips c f, &c., have on their ends suitable projecting pins that extend through the top and bottom strips and rcceive the caps 71, and are screw-threaded also to receive the bolts '1 The cap h operates to hold the parts in place, while they are drawn tightly together by the bolts t'. It will be understood that the glasses which make up the rectangular tank are arranged together inside of this supporting frame. They are drawn and held tightly together by means of the frame, and the whole may be cemented to still further give support and stability when desired.

If it becomes necessary to remove alight of glass, it may be done by first removing the caps and bolts which are directly over that light, then remove the strip 1), and the glass may in most cases be lifted out; but in case it becomes necessary to liftout the standards which may be located at the ends of such light of glass then the bolt must be removed from the bottom of such standard, whereupon it also may be lifted upward and removed. It is to this end that I construct the corner-pieces in two separate strips e f and of such thickness that when. the strip 1) is removed the corre sponding standard or corner-strips maybe removed also by lifting them upward past the end of the adjacent top strips Z). The removed portions may obviously be readjusted to posi tion when desired.

The water-tank constructed as described or in any other suitable manner is placed within an outer casing or box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said casing comprises the outer walls A and the inner walls or lining B. Between the outer and inner walls is an air-tight chamber E, the two walls being united together at top, as shown, to prevent all communication.

between the chamber and outer air except through the vent-hole referred to hereinafter.

The outer casing is made sufficiently large to contain the watertank, and also the ice or cooling material. To this end a removable tray H is placed in the box alongside the watertank, as shown in Fig. 2. This tray has downwardly-extended feet at the ends that bear upon the bottom of the box and uphold the tray, thereby leaving a chamber under the tray, into which the water melting from the ice will gradually accumulate. This water may be exhausted from time to time through the faucet K. The pipe for conducting outward the drinking-liquid extends from the faucet M backward under the tray and into the water-tank, as shown in Fig. 2. This conduit-pipe is composed of glass and has each end surrounded by cork collars n, to the end that joints shall be absolutely water-tight, in order that there may be no contamination of the drinking-fluid by contact with metal or the water in the ice-chamber.

The Water is cooled by the temperature of the air in and aboutthe water-tank. It is desirable that the drinking-water should not be too cold or too warm. Its temperature must be regulated by and modified by the temperature in the outer case. To this end I have devised means whereby to change this air and consequently the temperature.

The outer casing is perforated through its top lid 3 by an aperture 4. (See Fig. 4.) This hole or aperture is positioned so as to open into the tank-chamber and also into the airchamber E. It is provided with a cap 5, that permits of being lifted to open the passage 4:, and, if desired, to close it, as shown in Fig. 4. It is the purpose of this opening to admit the external heated air into the tank-chamber and into the air-chamber E whenever it is desired to raise the temperature of the drinking-fluid. The supply-port 4: is made at the top of the box, and to facilitate the entrance of the hot airI have provided an exhaust-port at the bottom of the box, through which the cold air in the box may find its escape outward. This exhaust-port at the bottom of the box is made through the faucet 7, which is located at a point above the plane of the faucet K. The port is a simple round hole cut through the outer Wall A into the chamber E, and then a second hole through the inner wall B into the tank-chamber. The tang of the faucet '7 extends into the tank-chamber, and the cold air in this chamber may be exhausted through the hole in the faucet, which is ordinarily closed by a suitable stopper 17; and if it is desired to remove the air from chamber E the faucet may be turned in its bushings until the collar 8 departs from the face of the board A, which allows the air to exhaust through the space around the tang of the faucet. The hole in board A is made larger than the tang of the faucet, and is covered by the collar 8, except when removed by screwing the faucet, as described. The hole 4 is covered by a screen 10 to prevent the entrance of dirt and insects, and whenever it is desirable to modify the temperature of the drinking fluid these ventilating apertures should be opened, thus establishing a free circulation of air until the required temperature of the water is secured. drinking-fluid may be kept at any desired temperature and may be quickly changed without introducing any foreign substance into the fluid.

The cover is composed of the outside piece 3 and an inside piece 3 held thereto, with a space 3 between.

Secured to the face of the outer box or case A is a small tray 12, designed to hold the drinking-cup. This tray connects with a pipe 14, that extends backwardinto the ice-chamber of the box to the end that all drippings from the cup and all waste put into the tray may be conducted back into the box and there retained until exhausted through the faucet K. The pipe 14 is provided with a curve or trap 15, to the end that water may be retained therein and the cold air in the tankchamber be prevented by this water from escaping through the pipe 14:.

Having thus described my invention, I claim .In a water-cooler, an outer casing formed of the outer and inner walls A 13, having an air-space E between them and constituting an ice-chamber, a drip-faucet K, leading from said ice-chamber, a water-tank Within the casing having a pipe leading therefrom through the ice-chamber to the outside, said outer casing having an opening through it ings at the bottom thereof from the ice-chamber and airspace E, respectively, whereby the cold air may pass out and the temperature of the receptacle be regulated, substantially as described.

MERRITT S. FOYE.

Witnesses:

A. J. 1\/IOSHEB, C. B. TUTTLE.

In this way the' for the admission of outside air to the icechamber and air-space E, and exhaust-open- 

